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"Swear allegiance to the new Crimean authorities, or surrender, or face an attack," he said, according to Vladislav Seleznev, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman in Crimea who spoke to CNN. He said the Russian commander did not mention an ultimatum deadline.

But a spokesman for the Russian Black Sea Fleet said there are no plans to storm Ukrainian military units in Crimea, according to the Interfax news agency.

The European Union foreign affairs council strongly condemned what it called Russia's "clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity" and demanded that Russia pull its forces back to their barracks.

Eastern Ukraine/The Crimea IS majority Russian, so perhaps it ought to become part of the Russian federation. A peaceful referendum on this matter is far preferable to a war between Russia and the Ukraine, however.

I believe that Russia has legitimate security claims, and these should be acknowledged. But not at the barrel of a gun. I do NOT think NATO membership ought to be extended to the Ukraine--in fact, I see no reason for NATO to exist at all at this point in history. It should become part of the EU, however.

It would be a big mistake to so alienate Russia that it feels forced to make a closer alliance with China. That would not be to our benefit.

But here's a sidebar issue; there are Americans on the space station, and Russia is the only way to get there...just food for thought.

The fact that they held off the assault until after the Olympics tells us they have enough class not to bring the space station into it. Putin does care a little about diplomacy, probably more so than obama.

The difference between pigs and people is that when they tell you you're cured it isn't a good thing.

Eastern Ukraine/The Crimea IS majority Russian, so perhaps it ought to become part of the Russian federation. A peaceful referendum on this matter is far preferable to a war between Russia and the Ukraine, however.

I believe that Russia has legitimate security claims, and these should be acknowledged. But not at the barrel of a gun. I do NOT think NATO membership ought to be extended to the Ukraine--in fact, I see no reason for NATO to exist at all at this point in history. It should become part of the EU, however.

It would be a big mistake to so alienate Russia that it feels forced to make a closer alliance with China. That would not be to our benefit.

And yet here we are attempting it.

I find it alarming that no one can fathom why Russia might think that every former Soviet Sattelite being coaxed into the EU and NATO, might seem threatening to them.

NATO is a "guarantee" for security. It would be prudent for the US and Europe to be careful with that.

Gun Control: The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound - Unknown